Ellis and Zoey - Love is forever
by ellis4zoey
Summary: Just a short story. An elderly Zoey says goodbye to her Ellis.


Zoey woke up on a rainy morning. She had not been able to sleep very well that night. Looking to her left, the bed was empty. As she stood in front of the bedroom mirror she looked at her reflection. Her hair whitish grey, wrinkled forehead and tired looking eyes. Her hands trembled a bit. She now realized that she was old.

She knew her son William would soon come to pick her up. Her oldest child who was now sixty-one years old. He had long reminded her of her husband Ellis. When William was in his twenties he had looked exactly like Ellis had done at that age. Only when Billy, as she always called him, turned forty and grew a beard did he have his own distinct look. She could not stop thinking of her husband Ellis. She missed him tremendously already, she felt the pain in her heart. After all they had been through, a simple fever had gotten the better of him. They had been together for over sixty years, their anniversary was still a fresh memory, it had been so wonderful. All their six children, with their partners, their seventeen grandchildren and even nine great-grandchildren had been there. Their kids, how much joy they had brought them. Four boys and two girls. William, Angelina, David, Caroline, Christopher and Joey.

Zoey sighed, now that her husband Ellis was dead, she was the last of their band of survivors. Never again would she see her husband's goofy smile. She always enjoyed his nervous ways around her, and his strong arms around her. She had despaired when his baby blue eyes had started to fade, during his last illness. He had visibly weakened. His beautiful curly brown hair had thinned and grayed in the years preceding it. He had been in a wheelchair in his last years, his weak ankle having given way to age. And now this day, she would say goodbye to him for the last time.

Her son William escorted her to his car. The cremation was scheduled for eleven in the morning and though she hated the idea, she didn't want to be late. There were plenty of people present. Her children and their offspring, friends, neighbors, acquaintances and so on. There was a picture of her husband, and below it the words Christopher Ellis McKinney, 1986-2071. Eighty-five years of life and now no more. Zoey herself was eighty-one.

The ceremony largely passed her by as she was thinking of her Ellis. All the good memories. The many visits to Whispering Oaks, him taking her horse riding, long trips in their car, walks in nature, the career he stimulated her to have and the many, many hours if not days or indeed years she had spent in his arms. She had prepared a little note because she had wanted to say something, but had given it to her son William just before the ceremony because she felt emotionally unable to say the words herself. Her son had agreed with her that he would say the words on her behalf.

_"My dear husband, my sweet Ellis, over sixty years ago you promised to face our disappointments together, to embrace our dreams together, to realize our hopes together and to accept each other's failures. You promised me that you would carry me anywhere and that I could always hold you to your promise._

_Now that our life together has come to an end I can say, my sweet Ellis, that you have always kept all your promises to me. Like you promised, you never hurt me. Like you promised, you took me wherever I wanted to go. For better or worse, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer you have always faithfully stuck with me._

_I will miss your smile. I will miss your presence. I will miss your arms around me. But I will always cherish all the memories of our years together. I will remember you through our family, our beautiful children and their children. I will never wonder where you are, for even now, I know you are in spirit still by our side. I bid you farewell, my love. And maybe one day..."_

Zoey could not hold her tears in, and her daughter Caroline comforted her. The family moved to the cremation chamber as the rest of the guests went to the reception room. As the doors closed and the cremation took place, Zoey frailly waved as if she wanted to say goodbye.

That night, she dreamed of times long past. The doors swung open as she was escorted down the aisle. Her Ellis promising her eternal love as they exchanged vows. And the wedding dance that lasted forever. His strong arms around her. Slowly the dream faded.

Just two months later, her son David came in to visit his mother, only to find that she had been reunited with her husband. Ellis and Zoey were together again, and this time it would be forever.


End file.
